My life in yours
by CloudVixen
Summary: Gaara goes on vacation and meets an intruiging girl. He does not recognize her, but the girl seems to understand more about his past than he does. Is the Kazekage capable of love? And even then, will Chiru deserve it?
1. Chapter 1

This is my story about the sexiest guy in Naruto (my opinion) therefore, don't like don't read. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to add a disclaimer, but I think it's pretty obvious that I don't own Naruto O_O if I did... Well, that would be BAD! ^_^ please enjoy!

"Sumimasen! You must be Gaara-sama, ne? My name is Chiru, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Gaara watched the girl bowing before him without comment. His two siblings bit their lips in order to keep from laughing. They could never be certain how he would take their humor. After a moment though he nodded at the girl and they relaxed a bit, sending one another meaningful glances.

The girl named Chiru didn't seem to notice how tense the three siblings were. She had impossibly long auburn hair, that had been fastened into two messy pigtails right above her ears. Even worse, she had white ribbons tied to them, and a couple of haphazard freckles splattered over her sharp nose. This, along with her huge, unblinking coppery eyes and slightly pointy teeth made her seem as much like a little devil child as Gaara himself. Although the two siblings had to admit that she was pretty cute, they weren't sure just how good this vacation could possibly be for their temperamental little brother. He already seemed more tense than when he'd first arrived.

"Ano... I'm Temari, and this is Kankuro and Gaara-sama," Temari laughed awkwardly, fully aware that she had added an honorific to her little brother's name. Her siblings didn't even blink at the title, but the Chiru seemed fascinated by her choice of words.

"Kawai! Gaara-chan is so important!" She exclaimed enthusiastically, a slight blush colouring her cheeks. She seemed oblivious to how all three at them stiffened, even when she grabbed Gaara's hand and led him cheerfully to the rickety mansion behind her.

"Gaara-chan, Yuzuki-sensei is waiting inside for you. You should be nice to her, because she's very shy, okay? You'll love this vacation!"

Chiru turned back with a giggle, ignoring Gaara's firm tug in order to escape her grip. The girl studied Temari and Kankuro in turn, making them both blush slightly. Kankuro had never met someone even nearly as intimidating as Gaara, yet this girl treated him like a plaything... It was almost hard to meet her gaze as an equal human being.

"Isn't Chiru an odd name...?" Temari started, trying to stop the foolish child from getting herself killed.

"Ah, it is?" the girl asked with wide-eyes, one hand flying to cover her mouth. Kankuro could almost see the flowers popping up behind her – a total air-head.

"Chiru-sama!" they watched an elderly lady stumble from the house, panic evident in her eyes. She stormed fearfully to where they stood and began to apologize fervently to Gaara.

"Please forgive Lady Chiru for her direct manner, Kazekage-sama!" The lady begged, fearfully lowering her gaze in order to avoid Gaara's icy turquoise glare.

"Not at all," he replied monotonously, watching Chiru wink at him from behind the lady. Gaara was uncertain of how to act around the girl. Normally people treaded lightly around him, keeping their eyes down, speaking softly and generally avoiding any lasting or memorable contact for fear of death. Although he had grown used to a certain amount of friendliness in the past few years, people still feared him fiercely. Yet this girl acted like he was an old school friend of hers... Not only that, but the old lady had referred to her as a "Lady" thus she was nobility.

"Mataka! Everyone complains that i'm too blunt. Am I, Lord Kazekage?" she stuck her tongue out at Gaara, receiving multiple gasps from her audience and a slight widening of the eyes from the Kazekage himself. With a chuckle and a wave the auburn-haired girl took off, her long legs carrying her quickly over the grasslands to wherever she was headed. The old lady apologized again in the youth's absence; stumbling over herself to lead them toward the mansion.

(Gaara's point of view.)

Gaara studied the beautifully decorated house with dislike. He couldn't help but be annoyed to be on a forced vacation. He had had a couple of headaches and here Tsunade forced him into taking an entire month off from his duties! Not only that, but he had to stay in some Konoha vacation place with no one around for miles. It was like hell to the frosty Kazekage. He glared furiously at everything that moved, not even bothering to feel amused when the old lady kept tripping over her feet in order to serve him.

In all honesty Gaara would rather have just stayed quietly at home. It didn't help that his siblings were forced to join him and leave Suna practically defenceless as far as he was concerned.

"Yuzuki had to go back to Konoha urgently, but she already made up your rooms. She said that she laid out activities in order for you to amuse yourselves, and asked that you request whatever else you would like," the old lady – having introduced herself as Yuki – mumbled to the Kazekage. Gaara ignored her, staring instead at the fading sun outside the window. He had a dull ache between his ears, and already he knew that he would be unable to sleep. Ever since the removal of Shukaku he could sleep, but his years of insomnia had not passed. He slept about two days every two weeks if he was lucky, and even then the sleep was fitful and it left him even more tired.

He sat and listened to his siblings as they thanked Yuki. He didn't bother answering when he was asked whether he was hungry. If he was on vacation he refused to do anything, which included thinking. They could decide for themselves whether or not he needed to eat. **Take that, Tsunade.** He thought grumpily.

"Yuki! I'm starving!" Chiru's voice sounded from the front door as it was slammed shut. Gaara had received food after all, which he was picking listlessly at beside his siblings. They were seated at the small dining table, but apparently Yuki ate elsewhere, because she emerged from the kitched with a worried frown.

"Temari-sama, please do not pay Chiru any mind. She is another customer here, but you needn't worry about her."

**You look pretty worried. Who let's other customers stay with a Kage anyway?** Gaara thought to himself, not bothering to look up when the girl plopped herself down beside him.

That is, until he felt something splatter on him. He glared up angrily to find Chiru smiling mischievously at him, shaking her randomly wet hair in order to splatter him full of water. With a pointed glance he wiped a droplet from his cheek and continued fingering the food. Her chuckle made him feel slightly childish – a feeling Gaara was not used to and did not like.

The dinner finished uneventfully. Thankfully Chiru was ravenously consuming her food, which left her with little chance to talk. The Subaku siblings made their way silently through their plates, quickly disappearing once they were done. Both Temari and Kankuro were yawning, but tried to hide their sleepiness until Gaara had dismissed them. The siblings – out of old habit – never did anything without their little brother's okay. Of course they didn't need it, but Gaara had always been the one to make decisions.

He was lost in his own world, though, and did not notice the silver moon rise from where he stared outside. Finally the siblings shrugged and said goodnight, barely receiving a grunt of acknowledgement from their brother.

His headache grew fiercer, even when all the lights had been blown out and the house was deathly quiet. He had no idea where everyone was, nor did he care. He clenched his fists and laid his forehead against the icy window – hoping to subdue the pain.

"Headache?" Chiru's sudden voice nearly made him jump. Nearly. Had she really been sitting in the room all that time? He watched her without reply, puzzling over how long she had been watching him. He would have sensed movement, so it must have been from the start.

"I know how to fix that," Chiru smiled, tilting her head invitingly to the side. Gaara couldn't help but wonder at how easily she spoke to him. He had seen Naruto speak with his friends in the same manner, but no one had ever spoken to him like that... not even once.

"I doubt it," he replied, turning back to the window. He heard her muffled laughter, and was surprised again when she tugged at his shoulder.

"Giving it a try wouldn't kill you," she whispered excitedly, tugging him gently to the door. Gaara barely noticed that he was following the strange girl outside. He wondered where she was taking him, but even more than that he wondered who she was. Her sparkling eyes nibbled at the back of his mind – as though he had seen her before. Was that possible?

"Gaara-chan, close your eyes," she ordered softly. He glared at her.

"It's Gaara," he stated, uncertain himself why the honorific annoyed him.

"Then, would Gaara-san be better?" she asked, smiling shyly at him. Gaara's breath hitched, a feeling he was entirely unfamiliar with. Why was this girl so...? he didn't even know how to put it for himself. Provocative? He mused, disliking the thought immediately.

"Just Gaara," he sighed, closing his eyes and following the sound of her footsteps. He was relieved when she didn't laugh at him. Somehow she made him feel small.

The sound of splashing water reached his ears, which collided with his headache. He opened his eyes, frowning at the intruding sound. He stood before a breathtaking waterfall. The rocks were carved with slim, fluid streams that made the water seem almost ethereal in the dim light of the moon. Silver pebbles splashed down the rocks into the endlessly deep pool by his feet. He could see the stars reflected in the icy black water, and the scent of fresh wet earth enticed him to breathe deeply.

"Kawai, Gaara-chan... I'm glad you like it here too," Chiru chuckled, but Gaara ignored her. His face felt slightly hot, which puzzled him. Why would his face feel hotter than usual?

"Come sit here," she motioned to a rock close to the waters edge, which he leaned against. He watched her sit farther to the side of the majestic waterfall and pull out some kind of instrument. It was carved from wood, with a couple of strings... a lyre, Gaara remembered from his old lessons.

"Just relax, Gaara-san," she murmured, toying with his name again. He wanted badly to snap at her, but his headache was forcing him to close his eyes. He felt nearly nauseous with pain. He breathed heavily, leaning against the icy stone and trying to cut out the heavy sound of the water. When a couple of sweet notes joined the bubbling water his eyes shot open again.

Chiru played a soothing melody that mixed perfectly with the low, monotonous sound of the waterfall. The sound blended into a soft song, almost like a lullaby. Gaara watched the strange girl as she plucked at the strings, humming beautifully to the tune.

"Do you know the words?" he asked, suddenly curious. Chiru stopped playing and smiled at him.

"Do you want to hear me sing?" she asked softly, her voice subdued in the soothing night. He nodded, trying to seem nonchalant. He was curious about her. He had never been interested in music before, but she was good with the lyre...

"All right, but take a sip of the water; it'll help with the headache.

"The headache is gone," he growled. She watched him silently, folding her hands together. After a while he gave an angry sigh and moved to the water's edge. He wasn't used to being bossed around. For a moment he nearly felt sympathy for his siblings, who always had to feel this way.

The water was chilly to the touch, but not too cold to drink. He brought some up to his mouth and took a tentative sip. Gaara disliked water – seeing as how it ruined his sand – but the light, nearly crisp taste of the fresh river water danced over his tongue and cooled his mouth. He savoured the taste for a moment, before leaning back against his rock and shooting Chiru a pointed glare.

She handled it with the same good-humored laugh she seemed to use for everything, and began to pluck at the strings again. It was the same melody, but this time with added words. Her voice was high, but not unpleasantly so. She caught the notes in the song and changed them into something magnificent, or so it seemed to Gaara. He leaned against his rock, allowing the sweet sound of her voice, and the fresh taste of the water to bring him to a point of utter relaxation. Gaara couldn't remember ever truly relaxing as he did while he listened to her play. He wasn't sure when the song ended and the next began, but he sat listening until his cold eyes finally slid closed and the soft music dragged him into unconsciousness...

(Chiru's point of view.)

Chiru was thrilled when she saw Gaara fall asleep. She kept playing, allowing deep slumber to take him before she finally set the instrument down. She hadn't played in so long that the continuous plucking of the strings, and the cold night air had made her fingers numb. She was surprised to find them bleeding, and licked them off thoughtfully as she watched Gaara's peaceful expression.

She had never seen the child of that man so peaceful. She wanted to cuddle him up and protect him from everything in the world. Chiru sighed, looking at the brand on her thigh. She couldn't help but wish, day in and day out, that she could be a part of his world too. She crept closer to his sleeping form, being careful not to disturb him. She layed him back comfortably in the grass, throwing a blanket she had carried along over his lean body.

He seemed so vulnerable in his sleep that Chiru had to bite her hand in order to keep it from removing the stray red locks from his eyes. She had hated the loneliness she had seen in them before. She had hated that she had not been there for him.

"Oh Gaara, I love you so..." she murmured sadly, laying his head on a soft patch of grass. She leaned herself against the rock, sitting up to keep watch over the sleeping man. He would get enough rest this night, she would make certain of it...

(A/N well there you go. Gaara has a creepy little stalker and all O_O I hope he wasn't OOC and I'd love reviews! Even criticism (it helps) so thanks for reading and please R&R!)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I updated because this chapter was basically finished already. I will be updating once a week (unless the lazy monster glomps me) so I hope everyone enjoys it! Also, there will be more cute and cuddly romance glomping later on, just trying to keep it slightly mysterious right now! Please enjoy and review!

Ps. I still haven't mannaged to kidnap the creator of Naruto and force him to hand it over to me, therefore I am both a criminal and I do not own Naruto...

That's right, back away slowly!

When Gaara woke up he had no idea what had happened. Slow, distorted fragments of the previous night flitted into his mind as he tried to clear the sleep from his eyes. He looked around to find himself still by the waterfall, with Chiru curled up sleepily against a rock.

**I slept?** Gaara wondered, feeling uncomfortable. He hadn't known how captivating a deep slumber could really be, and though he felt much better, he almost wished he could sink back into the warmth of sleep.

The chilly pre-dawn air woke him up quickly, though, and he got stiffly to his feet.

"Chiru?" he yawned loudly, wincing slightly as he got to his feet. Why had he slept outside?

"Morning, Gaara-chan," Chiru yawned, doing some kind of backwards stretch with her body. Gaara watched as her joint cracked, noticing her sigh of relief. He tried mimicking the action and felt his own body unknot, the pain fading quickly.

"Kawai, Gaara-chan stretched!" Chiru exclaimed, already back in full spirits even moments after having awoken. He glowered at her, hoping that his embarrassment wasn't too obvious. His cheeks felt uncomfortably hot in the morning air – something that happened often around her, he noted.

She tilted her head to the side with a knowing smile, her hair had come loose and was curling all over her body, making her seem engulfed in flames. For a moment Gaara couldn't help but notice that her hair was the same colour as the red streaks in the sky that were swiftly turning pinkish. Well, almost... it had a deeper red.

**Like blood, except it has streaks of sun through it...**

"Gaara! Gaara-sama!"

They both turned to find the two sand siblings racing over to their location. Chiru immediately smiled and waved, making them pause a few steps away.

"We were worried when you weren't at the house..." Temari murmured warily, kicking Kankuro who was staring wide-eyed at Chiru.

"Gaara-chan fell asleep by the waterfall. He's so cute when he has just woken up! Gaara-chan, you shouldn't comb your hair!" Everyone turned to stare at Chiru, who was blushing and running her fingers through Gaara's hair. He pulled away, watching her with an unmistakably shocked expression.

He turned silently and left, leaving his siblings to gape at his back. He tensed slightly when Chiru laughed, but continued walking.

"Chiru, you-"

"You are a god! Seriously, who runs their hand through Gaara's hair? Do you know the meaning of fear?" Kankuro burst out laughing, interrupting his sister who was staring warily at Chiru. Chiru watched Kankuro with wide-eyes, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

"Is he mad at me?" she asked, suddenly grabbing hold of Kankuro's wrists and staring deeply into his dark eyes. The ninja stop laughing and studied the girl who was practically in his face.

"Whoa, uhm..."

"Gaara doesn't like physical contact," Temari stated, watching Chiru in the same manner one would watch an alien. The girl gave her another empty-headed stare, her huge puppy-dog eyes accentuated by the way she tilted her head.

"Is that bad?" she asked, ignoring how the blonde's eyes narrowed. Kankuro was laughing again, clutching at his stomach, but the sister watched Chiru with open suspicion.

"Chiru-sama! Lady Chiru, your father has sent you mail!" Yuki ran over – out of breath with flaming cheeks. Her eyes were stretched to the max as she handed over an official looking letter to the girl, who's entire demeanour was suddenly much colder.

"I have work to do. Please escort our guests home," she told the old lady, strolling off in a focused manner. The sand siblings watched her with curiosity, but the old lady held her finger to her lips and led them quietly back to the house.

Gaara sat by the window. He had already decided that this was his favourite spot. He had a view over the beautiful grasslands, and he was nearly inapproachable to anyone in the room. That is, anyone less determined than Chiru. He wondered about her, unsure why she seemed so familiar. He was certain now that her flaming hair and starry eyes held some secret that he was supposed to know. She had had slight bags beneath her eyes... had she stayed up all night?

Gaara suddenly wished that he hadn't fallen asleep. His thoughts seemed murkier since he'd woken up, and he had no idea what she had been doing while he was asleep. The thought made him feel immensely vulnerable.

He glanced up as his siblings entered the house. Yuki began talking about going hiking or swimming, but Temari interrupted loudly.

"Who is Chiru?" she asked, glaring at Yuki who seemed to have a heart attack.

"Chiru-sama is just another customer..."

"That's unlikely. You would not keep a normal customer in the same area as someone as important as a Kage," Gaara spoke up calmly. He was not at all arrogant about his standing, but rather knew just how things worked for him. He was also equally curious about the girl with the coppery eyes. She seemed so cheerful, so relaxed... Why did that give him an uneasy feeling?

"Lady Chiru is the daughter of a feudal lord... therefore, you understand, we can't make her leave until she wants to," Yuki said, seeming unusually stressed. Kankuro watched the scene pass, but had no idea what was going on. To him Chiru was fun and a nice distraction from his more serious-minded siblings.

"No daughter of a feudal lord would act like that," Temari retorted, closing in on the old lady. She seemed scared as she backed into a corner, wringing her hands.

"Please, please don't say anything. Please just stay away from Chiru. She is dangerous, and if i say anymore..."

There was a cold silence in the room. Gaara felt something akin to a shudder at the old lady's words. What she had said, how she had said it... it was almost as though she viewed Chiru much like the villagers had viewed him not so long ago. Temari and Kankuro gave him concerned glances, trying to see if they should continue interrogating Yuki, who seemed near to tears.

Gaara shook his head imperceptibly, studying the old lady in silence. He wanted to speak to Chiru again. He wanted to know why Yuki was so afraid of her. He promised himself to ask her about it when he saw her again.

"Let's go swim," he told his siblings expressionlessly. Kankuro immediately gave an excited yell and stormed off to get dressed, while Temari watched him with concern.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"What did you do last night, Gaara? With that girl... she is suspicious. I don't like her."

Gaara watched Temari, feeling a rare kind of tenderness toward her. He was grateful for his siblings, who accepted him as he was.

"She helped me last night..." he replied, not bothering to elaborate. Temari nodded after a moment, then went to get dressed too. Yuki stood silently watching Gaara, uncertain of what more she should do. She knew that her boss would be furious if she found out, but the old lady had been in too much pain and fear to continue lying.

"Gaara-sama..."

"Yes?" she was surprised when he replied. He turned, giving her his full attention, which sent shivers down her spine. He had such extremely cold eyes.

"Chiru is very dangerous. She won't hesitate to kill if she gets annoyed."

Gaara had a hard time imagining and angry Chiru. To him she seemed hyperactive and always excited. He recalled how quiet and unyielding she had seemed in the darkness of the night. While she had played she had been a different person. Subdued, cold, almost ethereal. Different.

"I used to be like that once," he told her. He was not certain why he felt the need to defend her. She seemed so... fragile at times.

"Not like that. Gaara-sama, she is worse. I fear for your safety if you have caught her attention. Please, just watch her carefully," she pleaded, not noticing Gaara's quiet surprise at her words. He had never heard of someone being described as worse than he was. He had always been at the bottom – the monster, the demon.

When Gaara had seen those huge, coppery eyes there had been no trace of his loneliness. There had been no pain or despair... How could she be worse? How bad was Chiru really? Even more so, why was she so taken with Gaara?

"You like her," Yuki observed softly, tears spilling from her cheeks. Gaara was not certain how to reply to the crying woman.

"I have no reason not to," he explained, watching the woman's trembling. She shook her head.

"Gaara-sama, please..." her voice trailed off. Gaara felt irrationally angry. Why did this woman hate Chiru much?

"I won't-" he began angrily, but she spoke first.

"Please save her from him, Gaara-sama! Please save Subaku no Chihiru!"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N sorry y'all for the long wait, school has been hectic! To make up for it I'll be posting thrice this week so I hope I have your attention :P also, I'm pretty sure Shadow-Ninja-Captain69 is my only reader :'( therefore this chapter is dedicated to you my friend **** please R & R & enjoy!**

Gaara watched his siblings splash around in the icy pool. He ignored their calls to join in the fun; his thoughts were elsewhere. He was certain that Yuki had called her Sabaku no Chihiru. Were they somehow related to one another? Could he ask without giving anything away? He waited in the heat of the day – waited for the red-haired girl to return to his side.

But Chiru did not show that day, nor the next, or another. Gaara felt as though he were going out of his mind with quiet worry. Worry about someone he barely knew? Gaara was not accustomed to the feeling, and it made him uncomfortable. He wondered whether his siblings ever felt that way about him.

Yet he knew those coppery eyes, that easy smile… everytime he thought of her laugh his chest began to ache. Was he sick? He had never needed a doctor before… his sand made him invulnerable after all. The only one ever to breach that invulnerability had been Naruto, and he was Naruto after all.

Gaara continued his silent vigil – unaware of the passing time and the anxiety of his watching siblings.

(Chiru's POV)

"How could you do this?" Chiru growled, pressing as fiercely as she could against Yuki's neck – without snapping it of course. She was furious with the woman, but a bit of sympathy made her hold back. Stupid sympathy.

"You'll die! I don't want to see Chiru be sad anymore," Yuki cried, trying futilely to struggle from the angry girl's grip. She had never before been more afraid of the child she had raised than just then.

"This was his decision! I will protect Sabaku no Gaara with my life, and you may not interfere," anger welled up inside Chiru when she noticed the pity in Yuki's eyes. The more the old lady made her think about Gaara, the harder it was to follow orders. There was nothing she wanted more than to just cuddle up to him and promise him the world. Gaara was Gaara, after all…She pulled back with disgust, allowing her adoptive mother to fall to her feet.

"This is not you, Chiru. You really love Gaara! Don't keep blindly following orders. Please, you'll just throw your life away for nothing. Please!"

Chiru glanced at the old, worn photo he always had in her back pocket. The photo of herself and a small, red-headed child with icy blue eyes and an adorable teddy clutched to his chest… between them sat her master… and his father.

She didn't read the back of the photo. She didn't have to – those words she had memorized many years ago. Words that made her heart clench pathetically.

"You're right, Yuki, I do love him. Which is why I have to go through with this. If you interfere, you may have to die as well," Chiru didn't look at her as she left again. She was doing her best not to turn around and beg for forgiveness… she needed to stay distant until it was all over. But at least, she could spend a few more days in the company of Gaara. Chiru was overwhelmed with joy that she had gotten to see her beloved one last time… and he seemed much happier than he once had.

(Usual POV?)

The Sand siblings were surprised to find Chiru relaxing by the breakfast table after having disappeared for three days in a row. Yuki was watching the girl cautiously, which made Temari uneasy.

"Where did you disappear to? We thought you'd left!" Kankuro piped up – as dense to the tension in the room as only he could be. Temari wanted desperately to inch away without being noticed and go warn Gaara, but it was too late. Chiru glanced up and smiled brightly at her.

"Good morning, Temari-chan, Kankuro –chan!" She exclaimed, jumping up and handing them glasses of juice. It was at that exact moment Gaara stepped into the room. Temari watched anxiously as her youngest brother stiffened and glared at Chiru.

"Gaara-chan! I made breakfast, come have some. I'm sure you'll love it," Chiru tugged at his sleeve – either completely oblivious to his mood or not giving a damn. Temari glanced over to see some kind of omelette. It was filled with mushrooms and some kind of sauce, which freaked her out. Gaara seemed to feel the same way.

"I don't eat fungus," he told her in his usual emotionless voice. Chiru laughed softly, mushing up his hair as carelessly as if he were her little brother.

"Don't be finicky! You'll love it, I promise!" Gaara seemed completely indifferent to his audience as he gave the omelette a curious sniff and took a small bite. Chiru (who was feeding him with a fork) tilted her head quizzically and waited. After a moment Gaara's eyes seemed to lighten up the tiniest bit.

"It's salty…" was all he said, before taking a bigger bite. Chiru laughed openly, mushing up his hair again. The sight sent shivers down Temari's spine. Is this what Gaara could've been like? Scarfing down omelettes with shining eyes and the slightest tinge of redness in his cheeks? The thought was disturbing.

"Let's go dancing tonight!" Chiru suddenly piped up. Yuki turned from where she'd started the dishes and stared at the girl in shock.

"Chiru-sama, I don't think our guests…"

"Nonsense!" Chiru cut Yuki off, watching Gaara munch childishly on his breakfast.

"They'd love to dance, wouldn't you, Gaara?" Gaara glanced up curiously, feeling embarrassed and some other emotion he couldn't quite identify… he'd always seen people dance at the festivals in the Hidden Sand, but no one had ever wanted to dance with him before.

"I can't dance," he declared, still thoroughly absorbed in eating his omelette. Chiru laughed carelessly.

"I can teach you! A Kazekage that can't dance… that won't do. What are you teaching the boy, Temari-chan?"

"It's horrible living with two boys…" was all Temari replied as she watched her brothers… her comment coaxed another bubble of laughter from Chiru, and for once Temari felt herself relax around the girl. Chiru really didn't seem that bad…

"Very well… there'll be a bonfire festival in the next village tomorrow, I'll notify them that you will be attending," Yuki said, glaring a he cup she was still holding tightly in one hand. Chiru whistled happily, catching Gaara's attention. He watched as the two women ignored on another studiously. The coldness between them seemed baffling. He was pretty sure that Yuki had wanted him to save Chiru, so why were they fighting? Seeing Chiru shoot Yuki a sweet smile made Gaara hesitant to be anywhere near her. The coppery eyes held a tinge of anger so slight he would have missed it entirely had he not expected that something was amiss. He couldn't believe that Chiru – hyperactive, air-headed Chiru – could possibly be mean.

"Temari-chan, what are you going to wear?" Chiru said excitedly, grabbing hold of Temari's hands. The blonde ninja laughed and gushed something about a new dress. It was only when Yuki nudged Gaara ever so softly that he realied that Chiru was still holding Temari's hands as they spoke. Temari was laughing and gesturing, as though she and Chiru had always been the best of friends.

Gaara suddenly had the image of Chiru holding Kankuro's hands the same way… he'd left when it had happened, but had caught a glance from the corner of his eye… come to think of it, Kankuro seemed rather fond of her as well.

**Not like that. Chiru is much worse…**

Yuki's words had an ominous feel to them as Gaara watched the beautiful girl entertain his siblings. How many times had they touched? Was that the reason he felt so… protective of her? Did he feel protective of her?

"Let's go take a dive!" Chiru shouted excitedly, ushering everyone out. She shot off to the river in a flash, shortly followed by the siblings. Gaara's eye caught a fluttering piece of paper as the copper-eyed girl ran off. He caught it delicately, glancing curiously to see what it was.

The picture made him froze in his tracks. That was definitely himself, along with Chiru and… his father. The man he hated most in the world… that man.

He flipped the picture over. Chiru's friendly call made him glance up guiltily. She was waving at him from further away.

"Come on, Gaara! The water is great!" he waved back, stealing one quick last glance at the photo. It was written there, in his father's unmistakable handwriting.

**Your future husband, Sabaku no Chihiru.**

**Do not fail me.**

**A/N well there you have it. Chihiru works for evil daddy, who may or may not actually still be alive *insert evil face here* I will update twice more through the week so keep those adorably shining eyes open and pleeeeaaaaaase review! Gaara will leave you a cookie on your pillow if you do!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Whew, finally finished another! Keeping up with updating is getting to be hard! I'm trying to finish the final one now… anyway TMC-Yuki, I am really glad that you like it! The photo was addressed long ago to Chiru; sorry in hindsight that was not very clear. Gaara and Chiru had an arranged marriage as children. ^_^ please R & R & Enjoy y'all!**

Gaara brooded quietly in his room. The photo was clutched in his hand, it seemed extremely fragile. It must have been looked at and touched often over the years… he didn't intend to confront Chiru about it just yet. He couldn't imagine how she knew his father. If Chiru were to be his wife so long ago… what had happened? Why would his father – the man who saw him solely as a weapon of mass destruction – why would that man arrange a marriage for him?

Too many things didn't seem to add up. He did know that he recognized Chiru but he had never been close to anyone. He would've remembered something like this for sure. What had happened at that age, and why did Gaara know absolutely nothing of it?

"Gaara! Have you showered yet? You need to get dressed for the dance."

Temari blushed when he raised his cool eyes in her direction. She was wearing a slightly revealing black dress. It sparkled beautifully in the gloomy dark room Gaara found himself in.

"You look good, Temari," he told her softly. His sibling froze, seeming uncertain how to react to his compliment. In that moment Gaara realized just how much he hated that they were always so surprised when he acted normal. He wished that he could be more like Chiru or Naruto… That people could look at him and see someone they could understand – even love.

"Arigatou, Gaara…" Temari whispered, stepping hesitantly into the room. Gaara watched her; he wasn't sure what to do next. How did Naruto always manage to keep a conversation going?

"Is Kankuro ready yet?"

"No, I had to drag him to the shower just now… He can be so forgetful," Temari replied with a curious gaze. She sat timidly on the edge of his bed, making him blush.

"I'll shower after him…"

Temari nodded, playing with her thumbs. Was she nervous? Gaara made a gesture he had often seen Naruto do when he felt awkward – he messed up his hair. He couldn't quite understand the need for this action, but it made Temari smile. Was it possible his display of emotion helped her relax?

"Let me show you how to dance!" Temari suddenly said, tugging the redhead to his feet. Gaara blushed slightly, stumbling when his sister began dancing slowly through the room. She explained something about leading and the music, but it all sounded Greek to Gaara. After while they stopped and she went to check up on Kankuro. Gaara couldn't help but smile at the closed door. Temari had taught him to dance.

"Gaara-chan, you look so good in that outfit!" Chiru gushed, poking Gaara's tux as though it might be alive. He felt strangely hot and uncomfortable.

Chiru was wearing a flowing golden dress that hugged her figure tightly. Gaara had a hard time not looking anywhere he wasn't supposed to be looking. He gulped the lump in his throat down uncomfortably, studying the floor. Chiru giggled – the sound made Gaara look up in shock. The sound was so feminine, so adorable that he had to make sure it came from Chiru's mouth. She was blushing, and she clapped one hand over her mouth. She seemed slightly embarrassed.

"L-let's go!" she mumbled, dragging Temari to the dance as quickly as possible. They'd arrived in the town early that morning, so they had had time to ascertain where exactly they were supposed to go.

The festival was lively. Children were running around, shouting and playing with fireworks. There were shows and dances and generally people hanging around looking happy. The general atmosphere was one of celebration and excitement. Gaara was surprised at the excitement in Chiru's eyes. He was used to these festivals back at the Sand, even if he rarely joined in. but Chiru was watching every slightest happening as though it was the most amazing thing ever to take place.

"Chiru… is this your first festival?" Gaara asked emotionlessly when she pointed out a couple of kids shooting off fireworks for the third time to him. Temari and Kankuro's immediate screams of "What?!" made him regret speaking so loudly. There was suddenly a faint, deep sadness in Chiru's gaze as she watched him.

"Of course not, I've been to plenty of festivals before!" she laughed, blushing fiercely. Gaara shrugged, hoping to confront her about it later. His siblings were just too damn nosey.

"Let's go dance!" Temari said excitedly when a slow song started up around them. She had somehow found Shikamaru – whom Gaara had met a few times in the Hidden Leaf. He was slightly suspicious that Temari had asked Shikamaru to meet her there, but he'd been too preoccupied by Chiru to see whether or not he was right. Kankuro grumbled something, disappearing in the general direction of the food stalls while Shikamaru complained about energetic women and followed Temari to the dance floor.

Gaara found himself entirely alone with Chiru. The moment was perfect to ask her about the photo that was burning a hole into his back pocket, but she spoke first.

"Do you want to dance?" Chiru asked with shining eyes. Gaara was taken aback by the sadness that hid in those brilliant coppery eyes. What was bothering Chiru? Had she noticed the missing photo?

He offered his hand wordlessly, allowing her to tug him into the moving throng of people. The song was nice and slow, which made it easier for Gaara to keep up. Chiru gave him a few pointers every now and then, but after a while she fell silent. They looked everywhere but at one another as they danced.

Gaara swallowed heavily, trying to calm his racing heart. What was he so nervous about? They were just dancing. But something about the night was bugging him. The people moving around them, the beauty that seemed to spill from Chiru, and his own mixed emotions was giving him one hell of a headache. The letter confused him, not to mention Yuki's cryptic little riddles. Gaara wanted more than anything to just shout at Chiru to tell him what exactly was happening. He was sick of being confused. He wasn't a child anymore.

The song ended, but they kept dancing as another began. Finally Gaara found the words to speak.

"Chiru-"

"You found it," she interrupted, smiling. To Gaara it seemed like she was smiling through tears.

"The photo… you saw, didn't you?" Gaara nodded, unable to speak. Something big was bothering Chiru. Why did that make him feel angry?

"Gaara, there are many things you don't know yet," Chiru whispered close to his ear. Her hot breath on his neck made his heart play sledgehammer. He shook his head dazedly.

"You were meant to be my wife?" he asked, feeling utterly lost. Chiru nodded softly.

"Yes, I was. Your father arranged it so my family's money would support him as Kazekage…"

"What happened? I don't know you," Gaara said. It was the complete opposite from what he'd been feeling, but true in its own way. He did not know Chiru as the letter suggested. She shook her head, communicating when her voice seemed to fail her. Gaara was intrigued by her emotional gestures.

"Because, Gaara-sama, you killed my family when you found out," her eyes sparkled with definite tears, her words sent icy shivers down the Kazekage's spine. Had he really done something like that?  
"That night, we tried to explain it to you…"

(Gaara's flashback)

_Gaara watched the weird girl hang from a tree branch. He knew that his dad would scold him if he were to do something like that. He wanted to tell her to get down, but something stopped him. She probably wouldn't want to speak to him anyway._

"_Gaara, Chihiru, come here," it was his father's voice. Gaara went immediately to him, not wanting to get a scolding. The girl named Chiru ran excitedly into his arms. It scared Gaara when he saw his father laugh and hug her. Why did his father never look at him that way? Was it because he had killed his mother?_

"_Chihiru, this is my son. One day you will marry him, and become my daughter. Do you understand?"_

"_Yay! I can't wait to marry Gaara! I want to go see Suna. Uncle, why can't I go there now?" Gaara sat on the ground, watching his father chat with Gaara. Black jealousy was making its way through his chest. He was trembling with anger. His father had never said a kind word to him, yet this girl seemed to be his everything. Why did his father hate him so much?_

"_Gaara-san, daisuke dayo! (I really like you)" Gaara glared coldly at Chiru. She seemed taken aback by his anger._

"_Gaara, behave!" his father snarled at him, making him tremble. His father hated him._

"_I won't marry. That girl is nothing to me," he shouted in a brief moment of rebellion. He paled when he realized what he said. His father would punish him… he was afraid. He didn't want to be punished again._

_Chiru was crying. He didn't like Chiru. He wanted her to go away. He wanted his father to look at him that way. He didn't want to be punished again._

_**Then don't let them get in your way…**_

_It was the monster, whispering into his mind. How did it know what he wanted to do…?_

**A/N This chapter will be followed with the next shortly! I hope my sneaky readers still enjoy it :P any suggestions and criticism will always be welcome… and of course reviews make my lazy fingers itch *Angel Face* just saying! ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N I'm done, I'm done! *takes deep, gracious bow and doesn't trip over own feet like in real life* I thank you all for your patience and I hope you enjoy! For the first time there's some GaaChi action (mwhahaha) and generally I'm shaking things up. Thank you TMC-Yuki, I'll watch out for that… Please R & R & Enjoy. Ps. I still fail to own Naruto. In the future, please inform me that kidnapping someone and holding them for anime ransom is illegal… O_O**

(Back to present time)

"Do you remember? Back then, the One-tail took over… you destroyed the house with my entire family inside. You would've gotten me too, but your father saved me just in time. I was scarred all over by that time though, and he said that I was no longer fit to be his daughter… after that he locked me up somewhere I wouldn't ever be found again."

Chiru was no longer smiling. She wasn't hiding her pain from him anymore. Gaara's chest exploded agonizingly when he realized how much he'd hurt Chiru when she was young. He could only imagine the pain she'd faced at the hands of his father. How had she escaped, after his death? Had she been able to fend for herself back then?

"How did you escape?"

Chiru shook her head sadly. It took Gaara more than a couple of moments to realize what this answer meant. He could have never imagined it… the absolute horror of what Chiru was telling him made Gaara dizzy with an old, familiar feel.

"Chiru, where is he?" Gaara asked urgently, feeling nauseous.

"Gaara, I was glad to have seen you. I thought that we wouldn't ever meet again. Please, take care of yourself," Chiru whispered. Gaara stopped dancing, watching her quietly. He was fairly sure she was trying to say goodbye.

"Chiru, I'm sorry about back then…" he blurted, just as Chiru leant forward and kissed him. The kiss lasted only a heartbeat, but it set every nerve in Gaara's body on fire and made him want to take her in his arms and kiss her for an eternity. When Chiru pulled back it was as though electricity ran down Gaara's spine. He felt elated and on fire. Somehow the feeling was nearly painful.

"Gaara, I've always loved you…" Chiru whispered as she began to melt into the crowd. Gaara was rooted to the spot as he watched her disappear, hearing her words echo darkly in his mind. Chiru loved him… Gaara was loved by someone.

It was then that the Kazekage realized how much Chiru in turn had come to mean to him. He didn't know what love was, but he knew that he didn't want Chiru to go. Something felt kind of lost without her. As though a piece of him even more dominant than Shuukaku had been was suddenly gone leaving an empty, cold spot in his body where it was meant to be.

Gaara shot into the crowd, glancing around feverishly for the beautiful, mysterious girl with the long red hair and the coppery eyes. For the first time in his life he understood why Naruto was so driven to protect his friends. He understood that desperate need to do anything for a certain person. He wanted to put Chiru in a glass case where nothing could touch her and she could always smile. He wanted her to stay with him, always.

He wanted Chiru – but somehow it seemed that she was slowly drifting from his grasp, leaving him clutching helplessly at the thin air where she was meant to be. Gaara had never felt more lost before in his life. He couldn't see Chiru anywhere. No one paid any attention to him when he nearly barrelled into several dancers. He ran straight into Kankuro, not looking where he was going. Kankuro steadied him, watching him with brotherly concern.

"Gaara, are you okay?" his voice seemed far away to Gaara. It was drowned out by the harsh pounding of Gaara's heart.

"Kankuro," he moaned, as surprised by himself as Kankuro seemed to be.

"What happened?" Kankuro asked in alarm, tugging him out of the way so they could talk. Gaara looked really bad. Kankuro had never seen him that distressed before. Gaara just didn't get distressed.

Gaara didn't say a word, but handed Kankuro the photo from his back pocket. It took a moment as Kankuro read what was written, but Gaara's brother paled immediately when he'd finished.

"Chiru's your wife?" he asked, alarmed. His expression was nearly comical, but Gaara didn't feel the least bit amused.

"He's alive," Gaara muttered, not bothering to answer his brother's question. Kankuro didn't seem to understand what Gaara was saying. It was such a foreign thought; even Gaara had a hard time grasping it

"Our father, Kankuro," Gaara said softly.

Temari paced worriedly through the room. Her dance with Shikamaru had been interrupted when Kankuro had appeared out of nowhere, mumbling nonsense with eyes so wide he might have seen a ghost. It had taken quite a bit of explaining from both her brothers before she could grasp the full dynamic of the story.

Shikamaru had helped her get her brothers back to the inn where they would spend the night. He was there now, watching Temari pace with concern. She was extremely glad that he was there to support her. The news of her father was a little more than even she could bear.

Gaara had fallen asleep finally, with Kankuro watching over him. Temari was worried about her little brother. She wasn't used to seeing Gaara so out of it. Even more than that, she didn't know what he'd do now. Not only did he despise their father, but he really seemed happier around Chiru. Would Gaara be okay knowing their father had her in his clutches?

"What do we do?" Kankuro asked, emerging from the dark room where Gaara was sleeping. He blinked a few times – the gesture was unlike Kankuro. Temari felt at a loss with two confused brothers.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. Usually the brothers could count on her for some advice, but for once she had no idea what to do.

"He said that Chiru must have been with Father all this time… if that's the case, she must still be working for him. Why would he allow her to befriend Gaara?" Both siblings automatically turned to Shikamaru, who was the supposed greatest strategist in the Hidden Leaf.

"What a drag…" he sighed, crouching on the floor. He meshed his fingers together, seeming deep in thought. The siblings waited briefly before he stirred again.

"I don't think he let her befriend Gaara. It wouldn't help his cause if his worst enemy knew he was still alive. With Gaara as the Kazekage the best route would be to assassinate him from the shadows. Chiru may have acted on her own in order to warn Gaara of him."

"Would she have done that?" Temari asked softly. "I mean, he did kill her entire family. He nearly killed her. Isn't it possible they planned this in order to confuse us and then get Gaara while he's off guard?"

Shikamaru mushed up his hair, glaring at the ceiling. He seemed somehow frustrated at the thought.

"We don't know enough to understand what is going on, but from what I saw this evening I don't believe that Chiru hates him."

"You could be wrong," all three of them jumped at Gaara's voice. He leaned against the door frame; his eyes had even darker rings than usual. Gaara seemed worse off than before he'd taken his nap.

"Chiru's ability, I noticed it before. When she touches you she manages to make you like her. I don't know how it works, exactly, but you seem to drop your guard around her after a while. She may have been working with him all along."

Tense silence filled the room. It felt like a thunderstorm that could unleash its pure fury and destruction at any moment. It was Shikamaru who broke the silence – he seemed rather annoyed by needing to take charge.

"We need some help. I propose we ask Kakashi. After all, his tracking abilities will be priceless… Gaara, what do you think? Do you trust Chiru?"

Gaara watched him in silence, utterly expressionless. His cold eyes were even frostier than usual, which made the Konoha shinobi shiver. This was not an enemy you wanted to meet often in battle.

"I don't know. I think Chiru can be trusted. She is very honest in her own way."

Temari smiled, blushing. She had never heard her little brother speak about anyone that way. Gaara definitely had a little crush – and she would help him in every way she could.

"Kakashi it is then," she said, smiling at Shikamaru. He looked surprised, but returned the smile easily. He knew that he would do anything to help Temari when she needed it.

**A/N thanks all for reading. As TMC-Yuki said, there may be a few mistakes. I apologize for that and will try to not make any retarded mistakes :D I hate when people do that, now I'm doing the same! XD well I promise Chiru won't be gone long, so please don't hate the story :P I'm glad to see I have quite a few readers! Thanks you all, you make writing worth it. 3**


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